She is currently majoring in psychology at East Carolina University and remembers writing the letter.

“My mom gave me money to get a paper out of a newspaper box,” Hickman said. “I put the money in and thought it was OK to take two since I had paid for it. She told me that was stealing and made me write a letter.”

Hickman’s mother made her send 50 cents along with her letter to pay for her mistake.

“I got a letter back saying that it was OK and they wouldn’t have to put alarms in the box,” she said. “I definitely learned my lesson.”